Jeff Bush of Seffner, Fla., died when a sinkhole swallowed his home in February. / AP file photo

Written by

Layni Case

Staff Writer

A 30-foot wide by 15-foot deep hole opened up under Jeff Bush’s bedroom in Seffner, Fla., the night of Feb. 28, 2013, only to devour both the man and his home in the span of just a few minutes. Bush died, despite his brother’s valiant efforts to jump into the hole and save him.

Sinkholes—like springs, caves, underground drainage systems and the like—are karst landforms. Karst is the general term for landforms produced by the erosional processes of chemical weathering and dissolution of carbonate rocks.

“Sinkholes have occurred for eons, geologic eons, and many of the lakes in Florida are relic sinkholes,” Florida Geological Survey Director Dr. Jonathon Arthur said. “They’re all typically related to sinkholes that have formed. Some are triggered naturally due to sharp changes in climate. Going from drought to tropical storm in a day can trigger sinkholes.”

Sunshine State citizens beware: the erratic weather patterns often experienced, especially during the summers, are characteristic for causing sinkholes. It is reported that thousands of sinkholes form in Florida every year. As all rain is slightly acidic and gains its acidity as it seeps through plant and animal decay above ground, it is all too easy for the porous rocks that create the state’s foundation to erode and become a sinkhole during one of Florida’s frequent thunderstorms.

While it cannot be predicted exactly when and where a sinkhole will occur, there are certain warning signs and causation factors that can be taken into consideration. Florida State University Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science Professor Dr. Stephen Kish explains certain factors to look out for before the formation of sinkholes.

“Areas where there is a lot of rainfall, or people pulling water out of the ground, are usually where sinkholes form,” said Kish. “Usually every few weeks you’ll hear about one forming. If there’s a sinkhole on a property right next to yours, it might indicate that one could form under your property.”

True to form, a few days after the fatal Seffner sinkhole, a second sinkhole formed just two miles away—no injuries or structural damages were reported. FSU senior Taylor Collier finds the phenomenon alarming. “As a Floridian, the unexpectedness of sinkholes is concerning,” said Collier. “From what I have read, experts say that they are unable to predict specifically when or where sinkholes will occur.”

The Florida Geological Survey can help ease students’ minds concerning sinkholes and other geological hazards found within the state. Currently on campus, the Florida Geological Survey Research Library offers materials concerning education on karst formations such as sinkholes and offers holdings of all of their publications over the past 100 years for in-house use. The Florida Geological Survey also works with FSU’s Geological Sciences and Urban and Regional Planning departments and gives routine presentations on geology and land use.